Rankings of the States 2016 and Estimates of School Statistics 2017

NEA Research

The data presented in this combined report provide facts about the extent to which local, state, and national governments commit resources to public education. NEA Research offers this report to its state and local affiliates as well as to researchers, policymakers, and the public as a tool to examine public education policies, programs, and services.

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In Rankings of the States 2016 and Estimates of School Statistics 2017, several numbers regarding Colorado teacher and instructional staff salaries were not accurate due to errors in the data submitted by the Colorado Department of Education. The following are the revised figures provided by the Colorado Department of Education:

Table I11
2016 Colorado Average Salary of Teachers and Instructional Staff:
$52,736 for Instructional Staff, $50,651 for Elementary School Teachers, $52,223 for Secondary School Teachers, $51,233 for All Teachers

Table I12
2017 Colorado Average Salary of Teachers and Instructional Staff
$53,768 for Instructional Staff, $51,269 for Elementary School Teachers, $52,741 for Secondary School Teachers, $51,808 for All Teachers

2016-17 Rankings & Estimates Highlights

Enrollment and Attendance

In fall 2015, U.S. public school enrollment was 49,831,699, up 0.3 percent over fall 2014.

The largest percentage enrollment changes from fall 2014 to fall 2015 were in:

The District of Columbia (6.6%)

Hawaii (2.4%)

Utah (2.1%)

Nineteen states experienced declines in student enrollment in fall 2015. The greatest declines were in:

Vermont (-4.9%)

Connecticut (-1.2%)

New Hampshire (-1.2%)

A total of 3,347,221 students graduated from high school in 2015‒16, up 1.1 percent from 3,309,762 in 2014‒15.

Public school enrollment is expected to increase by 0.2 percent from 2015–16 to 2016‒17, representing the 32nd consecutive increase since 1985–86.

Public school enrollment registered a 2.2 percent increase for the years 2006‒07 (48,854,085)
through 2016‒17 (49,906,826). Enrollment in elementary schools gained by 4.3 percent, and enrollment in secondary schools decreased by 1.1 percent during the 10 year period.

Classroom Teachers

There were 3,131,326 teachers in 2015‒16. These states represented the largest numbers of teachers:

Texas (347,351), California (276,322)

New York (208,682)

States that accounted for the smallest numbers:

District of Columbia (4,661)

Vermont (6,211)

The average number of students enrolled per teacher was roughly the same at 15.9 for 2014–15 and 2015–16. The highest number of students enrolled per teacher in fall 2015: Nevada (25.7), Arizona (23.8), Utah (22.9). States with the lowest student–teacher ratios were Vermont (11.7), New Jersey (11.9), and Maine (12.1).

The number of public school classroom teachers should grow by 0.2 percent from 3,131,326 in 2015–16 to 3,136,388 in 2016‒17.

Teacher Salary

The average public school teacher salary for 2015–16 was $58,353. State average teacher salaries ranged from those in at the high end to:

New York ($79,152)

California ($77,179)

Massachusetts ($76,981)

The lower end:

South Dakota ($42,025)

Mississippi ($42,744)

The average one-year change in public school teacher salaries from 2014–15 to 2015–16 was 1.3%. The largest one-year decrease was in Arizona (-0.5%), and the largest one-year increase was in California (4.2%).

The average classroom teacher salary will increase by 1.0 percent from $58,353 in 2015-16 to $58,950 in 2016-17.

Over the decade, the average classroom teacher salary has increased 15.2 percent. But after inflation adjustment, the average salary actually has decreased by $1,823 or 3.0 percent

School Revenue

School funding continues to be state oriented. In both 2014-15 and 2015‒16, 45.8 percent of public school revenue came from state funds, closely followed by local receipts (45.1% then 45.3%). Federal funds constituted 9.0 percent and 8.9 percent, respectively, of K-12 education revenue.

From 2006‒07 to 2016‒17, school revenue receipts increased 16.3 percent. Adjusting for inflation in 2006‒07 dollars, public school revenues have decreased 2.1 percent over the decade.

Current Expenditures on Education

Current expenditures for public schools are expected to increase from $475.8 billion in 2006‒07 to $598.1 billion in 2016‒17, a 25.7 percent increase. Current expenditures grew by 5.8 percent during the 10 years in inflation-adjusted dollars.

Expenditures per Student

The average per student expenditure in 2015–16 fall enrollment was $11,787. States with the highest per student expenditures:

Vermont ($23,557)

New York ($21,606)

The District of Columbia ($21,297)

The lowest per student expenditures:

Idaho ($6,538)

Utah ($6,843)

Indiana ($7,538)

Arizona ($7,566)

Expenditures per student in fall enrollment should increase by 1.7 percent to $11,984 in 2016‒17.

Over the last decade, the average per student expenditure has risen by $2,244, or 23 percent from $9,740 to $11,984. After inflation adjustment, the expenditure per student in enrollment has increased by $414, or 3.6 percent.

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